GOLDEN-CEOWNED KINGLET 589 



nest the kinglets had included many cocoons of spiders. When the nest 

 was found, it was swarming with young spiders. This nest contained 

 some peculiarly marked feathers which proved to be those of a Saw-whet 

 Owl and these constituted our first and for a long time our only local record 

 for that species, as noted in another chapter. 



"Western Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Regnlus calendula cineraceus Grinnell 



Field characters. — Size very small, about one-third that of Junco; tail shorter than 

 body. Upper surface of body grayish green; under surface buffy white; one or two 

 light bars across each wing, and a light ring around eye. Male has a crown patch of 

 brilliant red, usually concealed, but capable of being flashed into view. (See pi. 10a, c.) 

 Movements quick, nervous; flutters wings frequently. Voice: Song of male elaborate, 

 resembling the syllables see-see-see, oh, oh-oh, cheerily, cheerily, cheerily, the ' last three 

 * words ' loud and clearly whistled. Note of concern in summer season a two-syllabled 

 yer-nip, repeated at intervals; usual call note a ratchet-like chc, produced in pairs or else 

 in series for one to several seconds at a time. 



Occurrence. — Common in summer in Canadian Zone (sparingly in upper Transition 

 and lower Hudsonian) on Sierra Nevada; altitudes of occurrence chiefly between 5500 

 and 9000 feet. Eecorded from Hazel Green and Chinquapin eastward to Warren Fork 

 of Leevining Creek and to Walker Lake. Also common winter visitant in foothills and 

 valleys on west side of mountains from El Portal and Smith Creek (east of Coulterville) 

 westward to Lagrange and Snelling; transient around Mono Lake. Inhabits terminal 

 foliage, chiefly that of trees; in pairs at nesting time, otherwise usually solitary. 



The Western Ruby-crowned Kinglet while resembling its golden- 

 crowned relative in certain respects exhibits a number of features of differ- 

 ence. It is for the most part a solitary bird, it performs a regular 

 migration to lower altitudes for the winter season, and its voice is louder 

 'and its song is of quite a different kind from that of the Golden-crown. 



In the Ruby-crown the bright crown patch is reserved to the adult 

 male, the female and juvenal birds having no mark of color on the head. 

 (See pi. 10a, c.) The ruby patch is normally nearly or quite concealed 

 by the dull olive green feathering of the head, but it is flashed forth when 

 the owner is excited or angered. Occasionally while foraging a kinglet 

 will keep its red crown feathers in full vicAv for some time. When two 

 of the birds contest with one another over some forage precinct, or when 

 several kinglets 'buzz' about a hawk or owl, the bright color is usually 

 in marked display on each male. 



The range of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is somewhat more extensive 

 than that of the Golden-crown, embracing on the west slope of the Sierras 

 the territory between altitudes of 5500 and 9000 feet. The species occurs 

 on the floor of Yosemite Valley (4000 feet) during some summer seasons, 

 but not regularly or in any numbers. The Canadian Zone is everywhere 

 occupied and is the metropolis for the Ruby-croAvn during the nesting 

 season. In the Hudsonian Zone the birds are found in moderate numbers 



